Time and Position
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Baltra just wants the best for Gilthunder and Margaret. Whatever the best might be. - One-shot
As the Great Holy Knight, there were many things to keep Gilthunder busy with nearly daily. If he wasn't out, extracting justice somewhere, he was back in Liones, attempting to keep a tight reign on the other Holy Knights.

This left very little time for leisure, which he was well aware of, given his father held the position for a good number of his formative years. And yet, somehow, much as Zaratras had done for him and his mother, all those years back, Gilthunder was very aware and attentive to his own wife.

Of course, it was much more complex than it had been for his father and mother, given that his wife, Margaret, was not only the Princess of Liones, but also acting in many ways as the head of it, given her father's health was ailing just as it had for years.

It was actually the time he would be giving up if he took the job (not to mention his total devotion to keeping her safe above the kingdom itself) that nearly made him decline the offer. If not for the very little left in the Kingdom that were worthy of such a title (at least in his eyes), he might have denied it.

But Margaret for some reason assumed it had always been a dream of his. Which it wasn't a nightmare, by any regard, but Gilthunder was rather conservative in thoughts of himself and his abilities. While being a Diamond Ranked Holy Knight, he never rightly saw himself as great enough to bridge the gap, even, to the Assistant to the Great Holy Knight, much less to hold the position himself.

Dinner was being had, one night, for which Baltra had summoned Gilthunder to dine with him. Gilthunder had thought nothing of it at first, given that Margaret was very much so in the capital and he assumed that she would be accompanying them. With both his younger daughter, Elizabeth and Veronica, off, doing something or other (it was the eldest Liones daughter Gil was concerned with, after all; not to mention, being that he was nearly certain they were both with Meliodas, they were probably far safer than they would be anywhere else), it no doubt got dull to both Margaret and Baltra alike to be around one another constantly. They had many guests for dinners and luncheons and Gilthunder was chosen more often than not.

Only, that night, Margaret seemed not to be around and, when he arrived in the dining hall, Gilthunder found there was no other than Baltra there.

"I apologize," the knight was quick to say, even bowing his head, just a bit. "I did not realize I was late, your grace. I-'

'Sit, sit, Gilthunder." Baltra seemed rather annoyed with him less for his timing (which had been early, in fact) and rather his words. "There's no need for formalities this evening. I've had far enough of those for the day."

The man sat at the head of the long table and, two seats down, was a place set for someone else as well. When Gilthunder moved to take his seat, two servants, who had been standing against the back wall, rushed forwards not only to pour him a large mug of ale, but also place a plate in front of him.

"I trust you need nothing else?' the King asked and, once the man shook his head, sent the servants from the room, adding, "I wish to be alone with my Holy Knight, thank you.'

It was only once they were, closed off in the room by themselves, that Baltra gave the much younger man a soft grin.

"Margaret," the white haired man began, "will not be joining us this evening. A very important letter arrived from a neighboring Kingdom that she must attend to."

Which did nothing to relieve Gilthunder any as he knew, just from that statement, that something was awry. Baltra, no doubt, had gotten Margaret tangled up in some matter (as there was no way a letter's arrival would preoccupy the woman so late), just to be, apparently, comprehensively alone with Gilthunder.

It would be quite nerve-wracking, for any normal Holy Knight, but for Gilthunder especially. It was rather well known in the Kingdom around that time that Baltra was very interested in finding Margaret a suitor and soon. While Gilthunder was, in the King's mind, a definite strong candidate, in both Gil and Margaret's, he was the only. They had always confirmed this with one another, in more way than one, including, of course, the most important way. And though they both liked to fancy themselves quite cunning, there had been more than one close call. Not to mention there were rumors regardless, of the late hours the Holy Knight was seen leaving the Princess' bedchamber.

Had any of that made it back to his King, not only would Gilthunder feel most disgraced, but could very be punished for such a thing. He was getting prepared for many things, Gilthunder was, ranging from begging for leniency and a chance for atonement from his King to even a scolding; Baltra was rather good at those. Many others (though mostly Hauser), had relayed to gi that if it was hi needs that he felt needed tending to, the Princess was not the one to go to; rather, there were many brothels full of women (not to mention just normal women, who would be more than willing) to take care of those with.

The last one, of course, was a worst case scenario. Although, being punished and refused the right to marry Margaret, would also be a worst case scenario of its own. Perhaps, rather, they were all just downright horrid in their own rights.

"Are you not hungry then, my boy?'

Baltra was speaking to him then, pulling Gilthunder from his inner concerns. And, when he only blinked, his King shook his head.

"It is a brave man," Baltra remarked, "that denies food given to him by the King."

"N-No. That is not it." Shaking a bit, Gil bowed his head before whispering, "Forgive me, your grace. I am only-"

'You are not here for punishment," the King told him then, tone rather soft. Staring over at the young man, he only said, "Rather, there is something I wish to speak to you on."

"Oh?" Gil raised his head. "Anything I can be of help with, I-'

"It is about your current position in the Holy Knights."

Gilthunder blinked, trying hard not to be visibly relaxed. Even though that statement could mean a multitude of things (and not very good ones, in some cases, considering that was the only profession he truly knew), it was nowhere near as frightening as the thought of Baltra realizing the depth of his relationship with the man's eldest.

"What of it?" he finally found himself asking. 'Your grace?"

Baltra only sat there, at the head of the table, staring hard at him for a moment before moving to pick up his mug of ale. Slinging some back, he finally said, "Margaret tells me that you are going to decline the position of Great Holy Knight."

"That is correct, yes." Nodding his head a bit, Gilthunder said, "I wish to leave the Holy Knights, even, and take up my place at Margaret's side as her personal-"

"Your father was very proud of his position as the Great Holy Knight."

That caught Gilthunder off guard though he only swallowed before saying, "Yes. And I was quite proud of him as well. I still am."

"As you should be." Nodding his head, Baltra added, "I know that the position was rather...tarnished, with his passing, but surely it has not fallen so low that no one wishes for it now."

"Many people wish for it. And I am certain that someone out there is capable of-"

"There is no one, currently, that I would feel better as the head of the Holy Knights, Gilthunder, than you."

"I understand that, my King, but Margaret-"

"You plan to marry my daughter, do you not, Gilthunder?"

He paused then, being very careful with his words as he said, "With the bless of not only the Church, but also you, I-"

"Then you do not truly wish to be Margaret's personal guard."

"Y-Your grace?"

Baltra set his mug down before saying, "If you were to marry Margaret, then you cannot be her personal knight. Or at the very least there would be no need for the title." Shaking his head, he said, "Do you not think that I watched very carefully over my own wife? Your father his?"

"Of course, but-"

"If you do not wish to marry her," the man went on, speaking right over Gilthunder, "then that is fine. You can become her personal knight and forever guard over her. But if you truly wish to marry her, then you realize hat no husband is ever knighted to his wife."

"Perhaps not, but-"

"And you cannot be king, you know, my boy."

"Yes." That was the primary reason that Baltra seemed to be holding off on handing his daughter over to the man. "I realize."

"It is not that I do not enjoy you nor that I think you would not serve well as one." The man went back to his dinner. "But rather, you are not of royal birth. Therefore, the highest title you could assume by marrying my daughter would be an earl. Least, of course, you turn such a thing down and, instead, become the Kingdom's Great Holy Knight-"

"I mean not to be rude, your grace," the man cut him off slowly. "Rather, I do not see how that could be beneficial to anyone. Should Margaret become the Queen-"

"And she will." Baltra was absolute on that. "Very soon."

Nodding in agreement, Gilthunder said, "Then would it not be a conflict of interest? The Great Holy Knight being wed to the Queen?"

"The people have great faith in my daughter. This has been proven as we have rebuilt the Kingdom and regained control of Liones." Baltra shook his head. "If she finds favor in you, then they shall as well."

Gil was running out of reasons to decline then, other than that he just did not wish to become the Great Holy Knight, and, with a shake of his head, he repeated the one that had only left his lips, up until that point, when he was alone with Margaret.

"I am not worthy, your grace." and his tone was just as clear as Baltra's then. "Hardly of Margaret's hand, but certainly not to be put in such a position of power. I would not even take the title of earl, if I were to marry Margaret. I am not even worthy of that. I-"

"And I gave you a path to atonement, which you not only took, but assisted in taking down the Ten Commandments while doing so." Baltra gave him a look. "Less, of course, you are saying, Gilthunder, that I am unable to wash your sins clean? That I do not hold such a power?"

"I would never dream of it, your grace. I only-"

"Marriage is a very difficult and complex thing." Baltra reached for his ale. "And idle hands have never led to commendable decisions. They have no place, even, in matrimony, at all. Margaret's time will be consumed by her duties as the reigning Queen. And should she be wed to you, there will be no king. Many things will fall in her lap. To have you lingering around at all times would be ill-advised. Surely you wish for a happy marriage, Gilthunder."

"I could only dream." Reaching for his own mug finally, the man said, "But I do not know-'

"Here you are, Father. I have spent the past half-hour awaiting you in the other dining room where you said- Gil. What are you-"

"Ah, Margaret." Baltra smiled wide, just for his oldest. Her eyes, when they shifted back to him, held a far less than jovial gaze. "There you are then. Poor Gilthunder and I were worried about you. Did I tell you the wrong dining hall?"

"Only the one on the other side of the castle." She glanced at the Holy Knight. "And forgot to mention Gilthunder's presence would be welcome."

"My deepest apologies, my dear." Baltra himself bowed his head, though it was with a chuckle. "The latter half, however, hardly needs to mentioned, I assumed, however.'

Gilthunder was just as quickly pushing away from the table and getting to his feet. Facing the Princess, he bowed at the waist to which she only smiled.

"Thank you," she whispered as, just as quickly, he was moving to pull out the chair beside his for her. "Gil."

"Of course, Princess."

From the door that Margaret had come through, a servant poked her head and, at the sight of her, Baltra raised a hand.

"Bring Margaret her dinner, would you, kindly?" He was still grinning at his daughter though. "she is quite hungry."

"I am interested, rather," she said, frowning at the man, "in just what it was that was taking place before I arrived, Father."

"Hmmm?" Baltra shook his head. "Nothing that would concern you, my dear. Surely you do not have such a strong hold on Gilthunder that others cannot entertain him for an evening?"

Blushing somewhat, Margaret looked off before muttering, "Of course not. I just-"

"Then what more needs to be said? Other than this." And then, Baltra turned his gaze back on Gilthunder who was slowly reclaiming his own seat. To the young man, the King said only, "I will not tell you what to do, as it is not my place. I do not intend to goad you into a decision either way. It is one that you must make. I only wish for you to find good use of your life. As your father would."

Margaret's interest was more than peaked then, but she remained silent as Gilthunder only stared the King in the eyes before nodding his head.

"As my father would."

Things weren't set in motion for a few days following that, which involved a lot of Gilthunder still denying his desire to become the Great Holy Knight as well as a few talks with Margaret. And, once it was all said and done, he had no hate in his heart for the position, but would not lie and claim he would not have enjoyed his time more as Margaret's personal knight, but the job came with perks. And Margaret was never far.

He was for certain, as he was nearly sure the man favored him above all others in the running anyhow, but he liked to think that his new position did help ease Baltra's concerns over finally allowing he and Margaret to get betrothed and, not soon after wed. Or, rather, at the very least, made the decision an easier to explain one than just that his daughter loved the man and he would never have the heart to force her to marry another, political reasons or not.

Gilthunder was rather quick to adjust, anyhow, to his new position, both as the Great Holy Knight and, not soon after Margret's husband. Though she had yet to assume the throne from her father, it was not far on the horizon. As excited as he was for her, he knew, of course, that that would cut even more into their precious free time together.

Which is why Gilthunder thoroughly enjoyed any amount they were given.

Such was the same that evening as Gil found himself walking around the capital with Griamor, his cousin speaking quite excitedly of tales about he and Veronica's most recent excursions. He was only halfway listening though, nodding in all the right places, as they came upon the market. He would be meeting with his wife in an hour for dinner and, holding up a hand to Griamor, he turned off, towards a cart on the other side of the street, returning quickly.

'For Princess Margaret?" Griamor said with a slight grin at the bouquet the Great Holy Knight held in his hand.

Nodding just a bit, Gilthunder only said, "She would expect nothing less of me."

"If only Princess Veronica was that easy to please." Griamor seemed to deflate a bit, just from the thought. "If were to bring her flowers, I think she would laugh in my face."

"Ah, but what if you only brought her one?" And then, with a grin, Gilthunder pulled a single lilac from the bouquet before handing it over. "Veronica might not be one for large gestures, but no one is immune to small ones."

Returning the grin with a smirk of his own, Griamor only looked off before saying, "I suppose you would know the Liones sisters better than I."

"Hardly."

Only one, truly. Who, of course, was quite grateful for the flowers when he arrived in their section of the castle sometime later, rewarding him with a kiss to the cheek.

"Tiring day?" she asked as after greeting her and handing off the flowers he went to take a seat on the couch in the sitting room outside their bedchamber. "Gil?'

He grinned, reaching over to grab her hand as she sat beside him. "Not," he sighed as she slipped her fingers between his, "now."

* * *

 **I'm making the blatant assumption that Liones has a rather simple system for the path to the throne, in which men can't marry into royalty and women only take their husbands' titles. Plus it lets Margaret and Gilthunder marry without him having to be the King, leaving him open to be the Great Holy Knight which was the whole point of this.**


End file.
